Photo‐fluorodecarboxylation of 2‐Aryloxy and 2‐Aryl Carboxylic Acids

Abstract

Coming to light: The title reaction simply requires an aqueous alkaline solution of Selectfluor and light. The method is inexpensive and effective for a wide range of neutral and electron-poor 2-aryloxy and 2-aryl acetic acids to provide fluoromethyl ethers (see scheme) and benzyl fluorides, respectively. The mechanism most likely proceeds through an initial aryl excitation with a subsequent single-electron transfer.